Wheeled toy



Feb. 17.19225. 152mm G. w. GQMBER WHEELED Toy Filed sept. 22, 1921 2Sheets-Shee'a l WITNESSES @wwf-MM lo EY L @JW/ ATT Cl Fx? N EY Feb. 17.1925.

INVENTOR wrrNEssEs i Mm ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. GOMBER, OF CONYNGHAM, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO A. W. DRAKEMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF,PENNSYLVANIA.

WHEELED TOY.

Application filed September 22, 1921. Serial No. 502,341.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W'. Gemeen, a citizen of the United States,residing at Conyngham, in the county of Luzerne and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful lVheeled Toy, of which thefol lowing is a specification. Y

rIhis invention relates to toys, and particularly to that class known aswheeled toys, wherein a figure is mounted upon a wheel or wheels which,by their revolution, impart certain motions in simulation of the naturalmovements of the said figure, when the device is moved alo-ng.

The object is to provide such a wheeled toy which may be easily andcheaply manufactured out of stock material, there being no intricatespecial parts Vsuch as expensive castings, etc., used in the structure,the said figure, which may be in the form of a horse or any otheranimal, being preferably formed of thin, cheap wood or wood substitute,suitably ornamented or painted and having forwardly and rearwardlyextending stiff wire connections formed at their terminals into spirallywound bearings for the front and rear axles carrying spaced pairs ofwheels, the front wheels being concentrically mounted thereon while therear wheels are mounted eccentrically in the rear bearing to impart anup and down movementto the rear part of the animal.

Ay full and complete understanding of the invention may be obtained froma consideration of the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying dra-wings forming a part of thisspecification; it being understood that while the drawings showpractical forms of the invention, the latter is not to be confined tostrict conformity therewith, but may be changed or modiiied so long assuch changes or modifications mark no material departure from thesalient features of the invention, as specifically pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters designatecorresponding parts throughout the several figures Fig. l is a sideelevation of a toy constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a topA plan view of the same.

F ig. 3 is a side elevation of a modiied forni of the invention.

Fig. t is a top plan view of the samt- Fig. 5 is a detail perspectiveview of the front standard or support having the integrally formed hubor bearing for the front axle.

As illustrated in the drawings, the figure l is in the form of a horsein the act of running, the same being formed of some thin wood, orbea-ver board or other wood substitute, sawed out in appropriate shapeand suitably painted or otherwise decorated, to bring out the detailsthereof, though it will of course be understood that any other tiguremay be used to represent some animal in movement. In Figure l of thedrawing the horse l is shown as having a rider, while in Figure 3 therider is omitted, and many other deviations may be resorted to inoutlining the figure to be operated.

Identical front-and rear standards or supports 2 are formed of lengthsof stout wire, each being bent, at one terminal, to form an eye 3, whichis secured to one side of the iigureby a screw 4f. The said standardsextend to the front and to the rear respectively, in an inclinedposition, and are prevented from swinging about the screws by additionalfasteners in the form of staples 5 located near the leg portions of theiigure, as shown in Figure l of the drawing.

Instead of the terminal eyes 3, the ends of the standards 2 may beformed U-shape by being returned as at 3a in Figure 3, when a staple omay be utilized to hold each portion of the U-shape bend to effectuallyprevent any movement of the standards with relation to the figure.

Each standard 2 has an offset portion con-- sisting of a transverse bend(i extending under the body or leg portion of the figure` as clearlyshown in Figures 2 and 1i, and reaching considerably to one side of thecenter line thereof, where the standard is again bent longitudinally, asat 7, to extend parallel to the upper portion thereof, and thence formedinto a coiied hearing 8 or bearing sleeve, arranged at right angles tothe bent portion 7, and extending an equal distance to the right and theleft. of the figure; The openings through these bearings S are of adiameter to freely admit the front and rear axles of the toy. lltheterminal of the front bearing- S is extended forwardly and inwardly to:form a pulling arm 9, having at its end an eye l0 located immediatelyin advance and exactly in the center et il'r lill) lll) ligure 1, forthe purpose of attaching a cord by means of which the toy may be drawnalong the ground.

As illustrated in Figures 1 'and 2, thel front axle 11 which traversesand revolves in the front bearing 8, has mounted on its ends a pair ofrelatively small wheels 12 which, as shown, are `formed of wooden discsand are concentric to said axle so that in its rotation no movement tothe ligure 1 is imparted thereby.

ln order to prevent any lateral movement of the front axle 11 in itsbearings S, short coils in the form of sleeves 11a preferably of smallervgage wire, are interposed between the inner faces of the front wheels12 and the outer ends of the bearing S and surrounding the axle 11, thusmaintaining the ligure 1 centrally between the front wheels.

he rear axle 13 which, preferably, is slightly longer than the frontaxle, has conccntrically mounted on its ends a pair of wheels 1+isimilarly formed of wood, and somewhat greater in diameter than thefront wheels, and is provided with a central crank portion 15 traversingthe rear bearing 8 of the standard. lt will be seen that when the toy isdrawn forwardly along the ground, the said crank will cause the rear endof the ligure 1 to rise and' fall while moving forwardly, thus givingthe ligure the appearance of a galloping or running horse.

The slightly modified form of the invention illustrated in Figures 3 andet hassubstantially the same form of standards as the first describedform, with the exception of the upper terminal U-shaped bends 3a asbefore described.

The front axle 11 traverses the front bearing 8, as in the first form,and carries a pair of spacing` sleeves 13, which may be short lengthsvof tubing, to prevent lateral play of the axle, and the latter,immediately beyond the outer ends of the sleeves or collars 13, is bentat right angles to form a spoke 15, at the outer end of which the wireis bent into a circular form to comprise a wheel rim 1G concentric withthe axle, and the terminals of the wire are bent inwardly towards thecenter of the wheels to abut against the spokes 15, to which they aresecured by surrounding sleeves 17, thus providing a one-piece struct-ureincluding the front axle and wheels.

lhe rear axle 18 likewise traverses t-he adjacent bearing 8 and has thespacing sleeves 13a mounted thereon in the same finer, the end portionsof the wire com- "ing the rear axle being then bent at right angles toform relatively short spokes 19, and then bent circularly to form wheelrims 20, whose centers are in alinement with 'each other but somewhatoffset from theaxle 18. as clearly shown in Figure 3, so that when thedevice is drawn forwardly, the rear wheels,

wheels will impart an up and down motion to the ligure 1, as will beclearly understood.

In each form of the device, the rear -wheels actuat-e the rear end ofthe ligure which rocks, through the medium of the front standard 2,about the front axle, and a motion is given thereby to the liguregreatly resembling the actual movements of a horse or other animal .inaction.

The particular novel feature of the invention resides in theconstruction of the standards 2. In a. copending application, l haveshown the same standard in connection with a dilferent type of wheeledtoy, and l wish the claims of this application to be eonstrued asgeneric to said other application.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that a simple and cheaplymanufactured toy has been provided which may be sold at a low cost, thatthe same has no complicated parts to become deranged or broken, theligure being susceptible of embellishment which together with thenatural movement imparted to the same by the operation of the toy, willform entertainment for a child.

`What is claimed is 1. In a wheeled toy, the combination with a pair ofaxles and vsupporting wheels, one of said axles having a crank portion aligure, and standards connecting the front-and rear of said figure tosaid axles, said standardseach consisting of a rigid part attachedtothefigure and an offset part extending beneath the figure, and aAtransversely disposed coiled bearing receiving the axle, the crankportion of one of said axles being titted in the bearing of oneof saidstandards, and said standards serving as the sole connections betweenthe ligure and the axles.

2. In a wheeled toy, the combination with a pair of axles havingsupporting wheels, one of said axles havin@l a crank portion, a ligure,and standards connecting the front and rear of said ligure to the axles,each standard consisting of an attaching portion secured to the side ofthe ligure, an offset portion arranged beneath the ligure, and a coiledbearing to receive lthe axles, the crank portion of one of said axlesbeing fitted in the bearing of one of said standards, said standardsthereby serving as a means of transmitting the motion of the crankedaxle tosaid` figure, and sleeves mounted on the other axle, at each sideof the coiled bearing, for spacing the latter on the axle.

3. In a wheeled toy, the combination with a pair of axles each havingsupporting a, figure, and a standard for connecting the ligure to one ofsaid axles, and serving as the sole connecting means for supporting oneend of the ligure above the axle, said standard being formed of a singlepiece vand consist-ing of an attaching portion for securing the same tothe ligure, an offset portion extending beneath the ligure,

lll() liu and a transversely arranged coiled bearing to receive theaxle.

4L. In a wheeled toy, the combination with a pair of axles each havingsupporting wheels, a ligure, and a standard for connecting the ligure toone of said axles, and serving as the sole connecting means forsupporting one end of the ligure above the axle, said standard beingformed of a single piece consisting of an attaching portion for securingthe same tothe ligure, an offset portion extending beneath the ligure,and a transversely arranged coiled bearing to receive the axle, andsleeves mounted on the axle at each side of the coiled bearing to spacethe later on the axle.

5. In a wheeled toy, the combination with a pair of axles each havingsupporting wheels, one of said axles having a crank, a ligure, and awire standard for connecting the ligure to the crank axle, and servingas the sole means of transmitting the motion of the crank axle to theligure, said standard consisting of an attaching portion for-securing itto the ligure, and a transversely arranged coiled bearing at the lowerend of the standard receiving the crank portion of the axle.

6. In a wheeled toy embodying a pair of axles having supporting wheelsand aligure, a wire standard for connecting the figure to the axle andserving as the sole connecting means therefor, consisting of anattaching portion, an oll'set bent portion disposed beneath the figure,and a. transversely arranged coiled bearing, all formed of a singlepiece.

7. In a wheeled toy embodying a pair of axles having supporting wheelsand a ligure, a wire standard for connecting the ligure to the axle andserving as the sole connecting means, consisting of an attachingportion, an olfset bent portion disposed beneath the ligure, atransversely arrange-d coiled bearing and a forwardly extending pullbar, all formed of a single piece.

S. In combination with a front axle, a rear axle, a pair of wheels foreach axle, a crank provided on the rear` axle, a ligure, meansconnecting the figure to the said axles and supporting the ligure abovethe same and out of engagement with the axles, said means comprisingfront and rear wire standards having means for attaching the same tosaid figure, the front standard having a bearing to receive the frontaxle, and means mounted on the said axle to hold the bearing fromsliding on the axle but allowing it to turn thereon, the rear axlehaving a crank to which the lower end of the rear standard is connectedto impart to said ligure an up-and-down movement.

9. A wheeled ltoy comprising a body or ligure, front and rear inclinedwire standards secured at their upper ends to the body or ligure andserving as the sole connecting means between the gure and the axles,each standard having beneath the body a transverse bend and alongitudinal bend terminating in a horizontal coil forming a bearingarranged transversely of the body and extending equally beyond bothsides thereof, and axles traversing the coiled bearings and havingwheels at their outer ends, the rear axle having a crank to receive thecoiled bearings, whereby the rear end of the body or ligure is caused toalternately rise and fall when the device is drawn forward to rotate thewheels.

10. A wheeled toy comprising a body or ligure, front and rear inclinedwire standards secured at their upper ends to the body or figure andserving as the sole connecting means between the ligure and the axles,each standard having beneath the body a transverse bend and alongitudinal bend terminating in a horizontal coil forming a bearingarranged transversely of the body and extending equally beyond bothsides thereof, the coil of the front standard terminating in a forwardlyextending pull bar, and axles traversing the coiled bearings and havingwheels at their outer ends, the rear axle having a crank to receive thecoiled bearings, whereby the rear end of the body or ligure is caused toalternately rise and fall when the device is drawn forward to rotate thewheels.

11. In a wheeled toy, the combination with a pair of axles havingsupporting wheels, one of said axles having a crank, a ligure, and wirestandards connecting the front and the rear of said ligure to saidaxles, and serving as the sole connecting means between the figure andsaid axles, said standards terminating at their lower ends in a bearingwhich is longer than the width of said ligure and extends to each sidethereof, said bearings receiving said axles, and the crank portion onone of said axles litting the bearing.

l2. A toy, comp-rising two axles, one of which is in the form of a crankshaft, wheels on said axles, a ligure, and standards at each end of thefigure lixed thereto, one of said standards being pivoted to the crankof said crank shaft and the other standard terminating in a bearingsleeve which embraces the other axle, said standards constituting thesole connection between the ligure and the axles and dispensing with aseparate frame for the toy.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto alxedmy signature.

GEORGE W. GOMBER.

llO

